Conclusions from the 5th International Gene Forum 2004, Estonia

The fifth international two-day conference Gene Forum 2004 brought together the top scientists of the field of epidemiology, genetics, genomics and biotechnology to discuss how genomics changes medicine. The speakers of the forum subtitled “Genomics to Medicine” assured that genomics will gradually become part of everyday medicine. In the near future genomics will have an increasingly profound impact both in therapeutic medicine and healthcare planning.

The fifth international conference on biotechnology organised by the Estonian Genome Foundation, held from September 17-18, discussed the possibilities of applying genetics and biotechnology in medicine. More than 350 scientists, physicians, students, health care officials, investors and business executives, one fifth of them from the other Baltic States, Scandinavia, Western Europe, North America, Japan and Australia, participated in the forum.

Key note speakers, from around the world, discussed topics such as the importance of population based genetics research, the disemination of knowledge to the public, HapMap, financing and commercialisation.

More detailed information from the conference can be viewed here, including more content from the presentations.

The fifth international Gene Forum 2004 was organised by the Estonian Genome Foundation, established in 1999. The aim of the foundation is to promote the development of biotechnology in Estonia. To achieve this goal the foundation supports research and organises R&D and educational activities (conferences, workshops, printed materials, etc.). The foundation also grants scholarships.

Further information about the programme and speakers can be found here.

For additional information please contact:
Andres Metspalu
Head of the Department of Biotechnology, University of Tartu
Member of the Scientific Programme Committee of Gene Forum 2004; Tel + 372 375 066

Maris Väli
Head of the Organizing Committee of Gene Forum 2004;
Tel +372 420 132; E-post: